


I Got This, I'm Italian

by bluejaythebeautiful



Series: 31 Day Winter Prompt Challenge [10]
Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Bad Cooking, Cooking, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-06 00:42:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5396360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluejaythebeautiful/pseuds/bluejaythebeautiful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part Ten of my 31 Day Winter Prompt Challenge!</p><p>Jedediah is ruining his food, and a certain Italian steps in to help him out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Got This, I'm Italian

_"Goddammit, my spaghetti!"_

 

Octavius yanked his earbuds out as the rage-filled yell pierced the air. He looked around wildly, then realized that it had come from his next door neighbor. Standing up, he set his book down and went to the adjacent door.  
"Hello? Everything okay in there?" he asked as he knocked on the door. He stepped back as the door opened and a very disgruntled looking blond walked out. 

"What's it to you?" he grumbled. "Jennifer just broke up with me yesterday, she took our dog, I'm burning my dinner, and the building manager is threatening to cut off my heat if I don't pay my bills in a week, but I can't, because my pay just got docked!" His voice raised as he continued speaking, and Octavius noted that he had a thick Western accent.

The other man bit his lip for a moment, thinking, then quietly began speaking. "If you want... I could at least help you save your meal," he offered. He hoped that he didn't seem too overbearing, but to his surprise, the blond brightened.

"That would be great! I'm Jedediah, by the way. You can call me Jed." He stuck his hand out with a grin. 

Octavius shook it briskly. "Octavius. Before you ask, no, I'm not related to the Roman Emperor. Nor am I his reincarnate. My parents are history buffs. My brother's name is Nero and I have a sister named Andromeda." He smiled, his brown eyes twinkling.

"Cool! Can I call you Octopus?" Jed asked excitedly.

"No."

"Octagon?"

"No!"

"Tavy?"

"Why such weird nicknames?"

"It's kinda my thing," Jedediah admitted, shrugging. "You know that really tall guy, Larry? I call him Gigantor. He hates it! What about Oct for your nickname?"

Octavius sighed, ready to get it over with. "Fine. You can call me Oct. Step aside, I need to save your dinner, unless you want burnt noodles." As soon as Jed moved to let him in, Oct hurried to the kitchen.

He swiftly began moving things around, adding salt to the water and clearing off the counter. He turned around. "Where's the sauce?" he asked a semi-interested Jedediah.

"Right here," Jed said as he pulled a jar of Prego out of the pantry, confused when Octavius got mad.

"No, no, no! That won't do! Here." He snatched up a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. "Go get these things out of my apartment. It should be unlocked." Octavius shoved the list into Jedediah's hands and turned back to the boiling water.

Jed looked down at the list in surprise. "Oregano? Cilantro? What are you, Italian?" he asked.

"Yes, yes I am. Now, GO!" Octavius practically shoved the other out of the apartment.

Jedediah rolled his eyes and stalked over to the still open door. Gathering the items on the list, he hurried back to find Octavius draining the noodles.

"Put it all over there," Octavius ordered, pointing to a clear counter. A huge pot was already waiting on the stove. 

The blond watched as the Italian man busied himself in the kitchen, and occasionally helping when Oct was doing something that needed two people. Soon, they had enough food for the both of them, but Octavius seemed to want to leave.

"Well, my work here is done," he said, brushing his hands on his jeans. "Best of luck on future cooking endeavors, I will take my leave now."

Jed's hand shot out and wrapped around his arm. "Wait! You helped make this, surely you'd want to eat it?" he asked. 

Octavius nodded. "I suppose so." He followed Jed to the table and smiled when the other man proclaimed his love for his recipe. They agreed to meet again for dinner next week, and soon worked out a schedule for cooking classes.

It was to no one's surprise when they started dating around Christmas.

**Author's Note:**

> So, did anyone catch my Marley and Me reference? I still feel like this is OOC, but oh well.
> 
> Tomorrow's Pairing: Thorki!
> 
> Follow me on tumblr/Twitter! I'm thearrowace


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